Perkin Mauveine: The First Synthetic Dye

William Henry Perkin, age 18, tried to synthesize quinine from coal tar in 1856 and instead stained silk a gorgeous purple. He patented the dye mauveine and launched the synthetic dye industry. Aniline dyes soon colored fashion, stained bacteria for microscopy, and seeded modern pharmaceutical chemistry. Purple went from royal monopoly to department store shelf..

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